15 Rules to Make Your Truck Last Forever
1. Keep it clean. Washing your truck keeps contaminants from eating through the clearcoat, paint, primer, and eventually metal. A good wash includes keeping the drains clear of debris and wiping down the doorjambs. Use a good wax at least once a year.
2. Keep it lubed. Use high quality grease on the suspension, steering, and drivetrain zerks. Use a rag to wipe off each zerk before attaching the grease gun so debris does not get pushed in. While performing routine maintenance, check for leaks and slop in drivetrain parts.
3. Invest yourself in the truck. This means taking the time to familiarize yourself with all the different systems-for example: brakes, steering, fuel delivery, suspension, and electrical. You should be able to identify all the components on your truck and be able to explain why they are there.
4. Work on the truck yourself. Or, at the very least, keep the amount of people who work on your truck to a minimum. Once you know how it works, you should learn to do the physical things that keep it working. Experience packing bearings, changing the clutch or torque converter, performing a brake job, changing the engine belts, replacing U-joints, adjusting the timing, bleeding the fuel system, and changing the filters and fluids because these are all skills you will need to have.
5. Buy the factory service manuals. They're the next best thing to knowing the engineers who designed your vehicle. Also use the factory recommended fluids and filters when they need to be changed. It won't hurt to use more expensive synthetic lubricants, but that is something the owner needs to weigh against his budget.
6. Don't be afraid to buy the specialty tools you need to service your vehicle. If you are on a budget, buy the tools as you need them, but keep in mind that like vehicle parts, the tools will also become more scarce as time goes by.
7. Be brand loyal. At a certain point specialization is needed. Since today's vehicles are so complex, it is oftentimes more effective to stick with one brand and learn its ways. Each automaker has its own philosophy on getting things done, and after working on a single type of vehicle you will begin to get inside the engineers' heads.
8. Don't let anyone else drive it. As your vehicle gets older it will develop tricks only you can figure out. Without the right amount of finesse, a person not familiar with your truck will break the tricky, delicate part.
9. Remember your truck is only as strong as its weakest link, so invest in good parts. Take the time to do the research on each product you put on your truck. Hold on to the receipts so you can keep track of your warranty and total investment.
10. Start out with the right pay load. If you need a truck to carry heavy loads-get a 1-ton. If you know you will only use it occasionally-get a 3/4-ton. If you don't think you will ever use your truck as a truck-get a 1/2-ton.
11. Stockpile parts you know you will need. If you've planned to pass down your truck as an heirloom, your children will appreciate a stockpile of parts to go along with it. Manufacturers only make a certain amount of parts, and once they're gone, they are gone for good.
12. Buy parts with a lifetime warranty. Sometimes parts you wouldn't expect to come with lifetime warranties do-for example: brake pads, alternators, starters, and even oil seals. You can justify the initial extra cost as a small insurance policy. Get enough of them and your whole truck is covered for life.